Broad Cove preserve in Aquebogue spared from development officially through $11M easement

A 100-acre former duck farm in Aquebogue, once eyed for a 500-room resort, is officially shielded from future development after the state purchased an easement at the site.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation completed a $10.95 million easement at the waterfront Broad Cove Preserve, officials said. The easement formalizes preservation of the property that the nonprofit Peconic Land Trust acquired in 2021.

At the time, former property owner Walo LLC was entertaining other offers, including one from a developer who wanted to build a resort on the land. The owner agreed to hold off on selling the property while Peconic Land Trust raised money, officials said. In 2016, a different developer pitched but later abandoned plans for a 500-room resort and spa there.

The easement, which ensures public access and prohibits new development, becomes part of the property’s deed and would transfer to future landowners in the event the land trust sells the property, according to the DEC.

“At no point now can it ever be built on or clear cut. This is the legal protection,” Jessie McSwane, stewardship director at Peconic Land Trust said in an interview. Protecting the property was a “high priority” for preservation groups and the site was perennially listed in the state’s Open Space Conservation Plan since it was established in 1992, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office.

Peconic Land Trust bought the land for $11.5 million in late 2021 using private donors and six lines of credit, Newsday previously reported. The DEC used money from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund to pay the land trust for the easement, according to state and land trust officials.

John v.H. Halsey, the land trust president, said in a statement that the group’s supporters enabled the trust to acquire the property when development was an “imminent threat."

“For decades, this incredible property had been a priority for conservation given its significance within the Peconic Estuary, but it has taken our partnership with New York State to bring it to fruition,” Halsey added.

In a statement, DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said protecting the property “will help Aquebogue, Riverhead and surrounding communities enjoy more time outdoors, promote climate resilience and protect critical wildlife habitat and the Peconic Estuary’s water quality.”

The DEC and Peconic Land Trust will jointly manage the site, officials said.

Adjacent to Indian Island County Park in Aquebogue, Broad Cove Preserve has 8,000 feet of shoreline along Terry Creek and Broad Cove in Flanders Bay. A trail network traverses through meadow, old growth and maritime forest and wetland habitats and is home to bald eagles, osprey, foxes and other wildlife.

The land trust created a new parking area and opened trails to the public last year, Newsday reported at the time.

This year, McSwane said two trails were resurfaced with stone dust and crushed stone, a permeable surface that allows rainwater to filter through. The material can accommodate strollers, wheelchairs and walkers to increase accessibility, she said.

New signs, in English and Spanish, inform hikers along the path about habitats and climate change.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said in a statement the preserve is a “treasured” waterfront property and praised the land trust for its “relentless” preservation efforts.

“What was once slated for a major waterfront development project has now been preserved and transformed into a beautiful public recreational space in perpetuity,” Hubbard said.

In a statement, Hochul said protecting “rare, undeveloped waterfront” will leave a “lasting legacy” in the region.

Officials said the Broad Cove easement aligns with the statewide goal of preserving 30% of lands and waters to expand public access and protect the environment.